My last commute: Los Padres Boulevard

One of the joys of bike commuting, checking out the creek trails in the rain.

Back to work at Kifer Road and Lawrence Expressway, I began commuting on San Tomas Expressway once more.

After a year or so on San Tomas, I came to the conclusion that riding on the busy expressway no longer appealed to me, for two reasons: air pollution and noise.

I had enough of both, so I started taking Los Padres Boulevard to Monroe Street, then the San Tomas Aquino Creek path, left onto Walsh/Kifer.

Los Padres is my favorite street with a bike lane. It cuts through residential Santa Clara and has light traffic, speed limit 25 mph.

Going home I took Central Expressway to the San Tomas bike path.

I never liked the narrow section of Kifer/Walsh near Costco. It was always busy. I had easy access to Central from my work and I could fly. There’s a wide shoulder all the way. Even though the expressway is jammed during rush hour, it never slowed me down.

With the daily bike commute behind me, I avoid all the heavily traveled streets whenever possible. After so many years riding in traffic, I’ve come to appreciate lightly traveled roads and all they offer.

Los Padres Boulevard became a favorite route to work.